The present invention relates to conveyors in general, and more particularly to apparatus for accumulating and transporting empty pallets for engagement by a lift apparatus.
A distribution center receives quantity loads of product, breaks those loads down into smaller aggregations, and distributes the products to a retailer or consumer. Often the bulk product is shipped and stored on a unit-sized pallet. Such pallets are received in racking systems which may extend several stories vertically above the ground floor. Goods on pallets are loaded by lift trucks into rack supply lanes where they advance to a picking face where operators select the quantities required for each destination. When the contents of a particular pallet are exhausted, the operator must extract the empty pallet from the supply lane, move it to a neighboring return lane, and arrange the pallet with other empty pallets in a stack assembled at the exterior face of the rack system where it can be accessed and removed by a lift truck.
A standard wooden pallet (48″×40″×6″) may weigh 33 to 48 lbs. The continual lifting and stacking of these pallets places a burden on the distribution center workers which would desirably be alleviated. Moreover, because distribution center rack systems often extend multiple stories above the ground floor over which the lift trucks move, it is desirable that workers not be required to approach too closely to a sheer drop. Another consideration is that in the vast expanse of many distribution centers it is desirable to keep construction and operation costs to a minimum. Although various robotic, pneumatic, or hydraulic conveyors are known, a pallet conveyor system which did not require any power source would eliminate not only construction and equipment costs, but would reduce the maintenance and operation costs of the facility.